Freeport - Opening Day after Grade Elimination Project??

MattAmity90 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 17, 2021 1:00 pm

Kilgore Trout wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:50 pm

MattAmity90 wrote:3.) Aside from Rockville Centre, Baldwin, Freeport, and Massapequa, Babylon was the only station with high-level platforms (which Babylon always had after the branch was electrified in 1925).

Why were those the only ones? My guess is that they probably had the highest traffic on the branch?

It's because those stations (aside from Babylon) were already elevated, and having a low-level island platform is dangerous. When they elevated those stations they were converted to one single high-level island platform because trains could now speed through without sounding their horns, and the loading and unloading was much faster not having to use the steps. Babylon was always high-level after it was electrified because it was transfer point. Babylon is where the electrification ends, and people had to transfer to a diesel for Patchogue, Speonk, and Montauk and vise versa. High-level again to make the transfers and the "Spanish Solution" quick and easy.

Ah, I understood you to mean that Rockville Centre, Baldwin, Freeport, and Massapequa already had high-level platforms even before the grade elimination project. I mixed up "elevated" (as in grade-separated on the embankment) with having high-level platforms. It doesn't matter if they did previously, because new platforms had to be constructed on the embankment anyway.

Yeah, then Babylon was elevated in 1964 with two high-level island platforms (grade-level also had high-level island platforms.). Then starting in 1967-1968 all the stations along the branch received high-level platforms for the new M1 fleet. Seaford and Wantagh would not have high-platforms until their elevated structures opened with a high-level island platform (all the stations have island platforms).

Lindenhurst, Copiague, Amityville, Massapequa Park, Bellmore, and Merrick were the only stations still at grade-level to have high-levels installed. The first three it was their temporary structures since their elevation projects were getting underway in 1968 and would conclude in 1973. Their original stations never had high-levels. The latter two it was their original stations from 1968-1970, then their temporary stations in 1970 until their elevations were completed in 1975. Massapequa Park was the original station from 1968-1977, and its temporary from 1977 until its elevation was completed in 1980.

What's really interesting is when they received elevators. I'm not sure if Freeport's elevation included having an elevator installed.